Circuit controlling apparatus



Aug. 4, 1942. L G, TU Bs 2,292,179

CIRCUIT CONTROLLING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 1, 1941 \\o 6/ rim"? WITNESSES:

' INVENTORO E 3; Z esfer 6 72.

Patented Au 4, 1942 CIRCUIT CONTROLLING APPARATUS Lester G. Tubbs, .Wilkinsburg, Pa., aaslgnor to Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing Company, East Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application November 1, 1941, Serial No. 417,499

4 Claims.

This invention relates to electrical apparatus,

- and particularly to circuit controlling apparatus.

I An object of this invention is to provide in a circuit controlling apparatus for obtaining a predetermined sequential switching operation,

Other objects of this invention will become apparent from the following description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure l is a view in elevation of the circuit controlling apparatus of this invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the circuit controlling apparatus shown in Fig. l; and

Fig. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating the application of the circuit controlling apparatus of Fig. l in a regulating system.

Referring to Figure 1, this invention is illustrated by reference to a circuit controlling apparatus it comprising a plurality of elements assembled in operative relation on a base Q2 of any suitable insulating material. As illustrated, a plurality of fixed contact members It and iii are carried on suitable supporting members it and 2t, respectively, which are mounted in spaced relation on the base 52 by means of the bolts 22 and 2 3, respectively. The bolts 22 and 2d are of conducting material and project through the base member l2 and carry terminal members 26 to facilitate the making of electrical connections to the contact members.

As illustrated in Fig. l, a set of movable conducting members 28 and it is operatively associated with the fixed contact member M and a set of movable conducting members 32- and 341 is operatively associated with the fixed contact member it. Each of the conducting members 28 through St is of elongated form, being formed of stainless spring steel, and are self-biased in a predetermined direction. The conducting members 28 and 32 in this instance are like mem- M to facilitate the making of electrical connections to the fixed ends of the conducting members.

The conducting member 28 carries a movable contact member 46 thereon intermediate of its ends disposed to be biased'into engagement with hers but are biased and mounted for movement and for cooperating with the fixed contact mem 55 her it. Similarly, the conducting member 32 carries a movable contact member 48 intermediate of its ends disposed to be biased into engage.- ment with and for cooperating with its associated fixed contact member to.

In addition to the movable contact members tit and t8, the conducting members 28 and 32 carry movable contact members and 52, respectively, adjacent their free ends, such ends being offset from the main body portion of the conducting members.

The conducting members and 36 are aiso similar to one another, each being formed of stainless spring steel and so mounted on the base member i2 as to be self-biasing in opposite directions. The conducting member 3@ has one end fixedly secured to the bracket 56, which is held on the base member $12 by means of the bolt 55 of conducting material, which extends through the base member, terminal (not shown) being carried by the bolt to? facilitating the making of electrical connections thereto. Likewise. the conducting member is carried by a bracket 6@ which is secured to the base member M by a bolt 56 of conducting material which carries a terminal As illustrated, each of the conducting members and 8G bent so that the free ends thereof are returned upon the main body portion of the conducting mem hers. The iree'ends of each of the conducting members carries a contact member normally bi ased out oi. engagement with the contact member carried by the free end of the other conducting member of the set associated with each oi the fixed contact members.

Asillustrated, contact member is carried by the tree end of the conducting member 3b and is so disposed that when the free end oi the conducting member 36 is actuated, it will engage the contact member of the conducting member 28. Likewise, a contact member 66 is carried on the free end of the conducting member 36 disposed to be actuated into engagement with the contact member 52 carried on the free end oi the conducting member In order to efiect a movement or" the free ends of the conducting members and 3G in a predetermined manner, a cam cc is positioned between the free ends of the conducting members 36 and 3t and disposed for movement to physically engage and actuate one or the other or the conducting members. The cam GE is carried on a pin '38 which extends through the base 62 and is secured to an arm it disposed for movement in response to a predetermined condition. As illustrated, when the cam is actuated it will tend to move the free ends of both the conductors 88 and 84 but since the radius of movement or the contacting portions of the cam 66 are different, the one of the free ends will be actuated to a position where the contact member carried thereon is in engagement with the contact member of its associated conducting member, whereas the other free end will be moved only a slight distance insuflicient to effect the engagement of the contact member carried thereon with the contact member of its associated conducting member.

Referring to Fig. 3 of the drawing, the circuit controlling apparatus I8 of this invention is utilized in a regulator system for indicating and controlling the operation of the induction regulator I2 connected in the circuit formed by the conductors I4, I6 and I8. As illustrated, an electrlc motor 88 is provided to actuate the induction regulator I2 through a suitable gear drive 82, the details of which are not shown, in accordance with the correction required to maintain a constant voltage in the circuit formed by the conductors I4, I6 and I8.

A relay 84 or a contact making voltmeter, is provided to initiate the operation of the motor 88. The relay is operated by means of an electromagnet provided with a coil 86 that is energized from the transformer 88 connected across the conductors I6 and I8. The core 98 of the electromagnet operates a lever 92 pivoted at 84 and carrying a pair of contact members 96 and 98, the spring I88 being provided for aiding the electromagnet when the coil 86 is energized. Auxiliary electromagnets I82 and I84 are provided for aiding the electromagnet to control the operation of relay 84, as will be explained more fully hereinafter. Cooperating with the contact members 96 and 98 are auxiliary contact members I86 and I88, respectively.

The motor 88 in this instance is illustrated as being a capacitortype motor and is disposed to be energized from a constant source of power, such as the conductors H8 and H2. The motor is provided with suitable leads H4, H6 and H8 for connecting itto the conductors H8 and H2 in a predetermined manner for obtaining a predetermined directional operation of the motor 88, the switch I28 being provided in the lead I I4 for giving a manual control of the operation of the motor.

The contact members 86 and 98 of the relay 84 are illustrated as connected to the conductor I I8, whereas the auxiliary contact member I86 is disposed to be connected through the contactor I22 and the circuit controlling apparatus I8 of this invention to the conductor II2. Likewise, the

auxiliary contact member I88 is disposed to be connected through'a contactor I24 and the circuit controlling apparatus I8 of this invention to the conductor H2. The contactors I22 and I24 are provided for controlling the operation of the motor 88.

In order to give an indication of the direction or operation of the motor 88, signal devices I26 and I28, in this instance represented as lights, are disposed to be connected across the conductors H8 and H2 by the circuit controlling apparatus I8 of this invention in response to predetermined conditions.

In operation, assuming that the switch I28 is moved to its circuit closing position, the re ulator I2 is operated to deliver a predetermined constant voltage across the conductors I4, I6 and contactor I22 is actuated to close a circuit which conducting member 28 of the circuit controlling apparatus I8, to conductor 2. Upon the completion of this circuit, the contact member of contator I22 is actuated to close' a circuit which extends from conductor H8 through the switch I28, conductor II4, motor 88, conductor II8, the energizing winding of the auxiliary electromagnetic device I84, the contact bridging member of contactor I22, contact members I4 and 46 and the conducting member 28 of the circuit controlling apparatus I8, to the conductor I I2. The closing 01' this circuit so energizes the auxiliary electromagnet I84 as to aid the electromagnet in mantaining the contact member 96 in engagement with the contact member I86. When the motor circuit is thus established, the motor 88 operates to drive the induction regulator I2 in such a manner as to decrease the voltage across conductors I6 and I8.

If, in attempting to drive the induction regulator I2, it is necessary to operate the regulator near its lower limit, the cam 66 of the circuit controlling apparatus I8 is actuated through the gear drive 82' to drive the free end of the conducting member 38 to a position where the contact member 62 engages contact member 58 to close an alarm circuit. The alarm circuit extends from conductor II8, through the light I26, conducting member 38, contact members 62 and 58 and the conducting member 28 of the circuit controlling apparatus I8, to the conductor 2. Upon this indication, the operator is warned to take steps to rectify the unwanted condition on the system. If, however, the operator fails to rectiiy the unwanted condition, then the cam is further actuated to eflect a movement of the engaged free ends of both conducting members 38 and 28 to a position where the movable contact member 46 carried by the conducting member 28 is moved to a circuit opening position and disengages the fixed contact member I4 of the circuit controlling apparatus I8. Such a switching operation interrupts the circuit to the motor and the operation of the regulator is stopped.

11', on the other hand, the change in voltage across conductors I6 and I8 is a decrease, then the winding 86 of the electromagnet is so deenergized that the lever 82 moves in a counterclockwise direction about its pivot 84 to a position where the contact member 98 mm engagement with the contact member I88. The engagement of the contact members 88 and I88 closes a circuit which extends from the conductor II8, through lever 82, contact members 88 and I88, the energizing coil of contactor I24, the contact members I6 and 48 and the conducting member 82 of the circuit controlling apparatus I8, to the conductor 2. Upon the closing of this circuit and the energization of the winding of contactor I24, the bridging contact member of the contactor I24 is operated to close a circuit, which extends from conductor H8, through the switch I28, conductor II4, motor 88, conductor II6, the energizing winding of auxiliary electromagnet I82, bridging contact member of contactor I 24, the contact members l8 acearre and iii and the conducting member oi the circuit controlling apparatus iii, to conductor H2. Upon the establishment of this circuit, the winding of the auxiliary electromagnet it??? is so energized as to aid the electromagnet in maintaining the contacts 98 and H38 in circuit closed position, and the motor 80 is so energized as to drive the induction regulator 12 in a direction to increase the voltage across conductors it and 78.

If, in effecting the increase in the voltage across conductors 16 and 18, the induction regulator is operated to a position near its upper limit, then the cam 68 is operated through the gear drive 82 to drive the free end of the conducting member 34 to a position where .the contact member 66 engages the contact member 52 carried on the free end of the conducting member 32 of the circuit controlling apparatus ID. This switching operation establishes an alarm circuit extending from conductor H0, through the light 52%, conducting member 3%, contact members 54 and 52, and the conducting 'member 32 of the circuit controlling apparatus w, to the conductor NZ, to warn the operator that the induction regulator is being operated near its upper limit. If the operator does not take steps to correct the unwanted condition on the regulator, the gear drive 82 further drives the cam lit to move the engaged free ends of the conducting members 34 and 32 to a position where the movable contact member 38 carried by the conducting member 32 is moved to a circuit opening position and disengages the fixed contact member IE to interrupt the supply of current to the motor 86 and thereby stop the operation of the induction regulatorl't before it is damaged,

The circuit controlling apparatus of this invention is quite emcient in its operation, giving a sequential operation whereby an indication is given of the operation of the system before the circuit controlling apparatus is operated to interrupt the operation of the regulator motor. With the circuit controlling apparatus of this invention as employed in the regulating system described, it is possible to always obtain an indication of the operation of the regulator before the limit switches formed by the fixed contact members and the movable contact member op erativeiy associated therewith are operated to interrupt the operation or the regulator motor. The operation of the limit switches and the regulator motor controlling switches is thereby sequentially controlled by the movement of only one operating or actuating member responsive to a predetermined operation of the regulator 1 motor.

Although this invention has been described with reference to a particular embodiment thereof, it is, of course, not to be limited thereto except insofar as is necessitated by the scope of the appended claims, 7

I claim as my invention:

1. In a circuit controlling apparatus, in combination, a fixed contact member, a first elongated spring biased conducting member operatively associated for movement relative to the fixed contact member, a second elongated spring biased conducting member disposed for movement relative to the first conductin member to actuate it, the elongated conducting members having one of their ends fixedly supported and the other ends free to move,-a' first movable contact member carried by the first conducting member intermediate in member disposed to be actuated into engagement with the second contact member, and means for actuating the secondcon'ducting member in response to predetermined conditions to move the contact member carried thereon into engagement with the secondcontact member to provide a closed conducting path between the fixed ends of the conducting members, said means also being disposed to actuate the second conducting member to efiect a movement of the first conducting member after the closed conducting path is established to effect the separation of the first contact member and the fixed contact member and interrupt the conducting path from the fixed end of the first conducting member to the fixed contact member.

2. In a circuit controlling apparatus, in combination, a plurahty or" fixed contact members disposed in spaced relation, a set of elongated spring biased conducting members operatively associated with each of the fixed contact mem hers, each set of the conducting members comprising a first and a second member having one of their ends fixedly supported and the other of their ends free to move but biased in the same direction, a first movable contact member carried by the first conducting member of each set intermediate the ends thereof disposed to be and normall biased into engagement with the fixed contact member associated therewith to establish a conducting path between the fixed end oi? the conducting member and the fixed contact member, a second movable contact member carried by the first conducting member of each set adjacent the free end thereof, a movable contact member carried by the second conducting member or each set disposed to be actuated into engagement with the second contact member, and means common to both sets for selectively actuating the conducting members thereof in response to predetermined conditions to effect a predetermined switching operation of the conducting members or" one or the other of the sets only, the actuating means being disposed to actuate the second con ductingmember of the predetermined set to effect the engagement of the movable contact member carried thereby with the second movable contact member to provide a closed conducting path be tween the fixed ends of the conducting members, the actuating means also being disposed to actu ate the secondconducting member to efiect a movement of the first conducting member after the closed conducting path is established to of feet the separation of the first contact member and the fixed contact member to interrupt the conducting path from the fixed end of the first conductingmember to the fixed contact member,

3. In a circuit controlling apparatus, in combination, a plurality of fixed contact members disposed in spaced relation, 2. set of elongated spring biased conducting members operatively associated with each of the fixed contact members, each set of the conducting members comprising a first and a second member having one of their ends fixedly supported and the other of their ends free to move but biased in the same direction, a first movable contact member carried by the first conducting member of each set intermediate the ends thereof disposed to be and normally biased into engagement with the fixed contact member associated therewith to establish a conducting path between the fixed end of the conducting member and the fixed contact member, a second movable contact member carried by the first conducting member of each set adjacent the free end thereof, a movable contact member carried by the second conducting member of each set disposed to be actuated into engagement with the second contact member, and a cam pomtloned between the free ends of the second conducting member of the sets disposed for operation to effect a predetermined switching operation of either of the sets, the direction of operation of the cam being responsive to predetermined conditions and determining the selection of the set in effecting the switching operation, the cam being disposed to actuate the second conducting member of the selected set to move the contact member carried thereby into engagement with the second contact member to provide a closed conducting path between the fixed ends of the conducting members of the selected set, the cam also being disposed to actuate the second conduting member to elect a movement of the first conducting member after the closed conducting path is established to effect the separation of the first contact member and the fixed contact member to interrupt the conducting path from the fixed end of the first conducting member of the selected set to the fixed contact, member associated therewith.

4. In a circuit controlling apparatus, in combination, a plurality of fixed contact members disposed in spaced relation, a first self-biasing conducting member associated with each of the fixed contact members, the conducting members having one oi their ends fixedly supported and the other end free to move but biased in opposite directions. a first contact member carried by each of the first conducting members intermediate the ends thereof and disposed to be normally in engagement with the fixed contact member associated therewith, a second contact member carried by each of the first conducting members adjacent its free end, a second self-biasing conducting member associated with each of the fixed contact members, each of the second conducting members being fixedly supported at one end thereof and having the other end free to move, a contact member carried by the second conducting member adjacent its free end, the free ends of the conducting members associated with each of the fixed contact members being aligned and biased in the same direction, and means common to the conducting members associated with the fixed contact members for actuating the conducting members associated with one or the other of the fixed contact members in response to predetermined conditions to eifect a predetermined sequential operation, the actuating means being disposed to effect the movement of the second conducting member to efiect the engagement of the contact member carried thereby with the second contact member of the first conducting member to give a closed conducting path between the fixed ends of the associated first and second conducting members, the actuating means also being disposed to effectively move the engaged conducting members thereafter to effect the separation of the first contact member and the fixed contact member to interrupt the conducting path to the fixed contact member.

LESTER G. TUBBS. 

